6 Deaths Linked To Tainted Meat In Canada

Public health officials in Canada confirmed Monday that two more deaths have been attributed to a deadly bacterial outbreak linked to tainted meat, bringing the total to six.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's director-general Dr. Mark Raizenne said the latest deaths bring to six the total number of people who have died from listeriosis, all of them in Ontario.

Listeriosis is a type of food poisoning that can be dangerous to the elderly, newborns, pregnant women and people with chronic medical conditions. Symptoms include fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Raizenne said that an additional six deaths are still under investigation as part of a total of 26 cases being reviewed.

"Of the 11 deaths in Ontario, six have been characterized as where the Listeria bacteria has been an underlying or contributing factor in the death," Raizenne said. "Five are still under investigation in terms of determining the extent of the contribution of the bacteria to the death of the individuals."

Test results announced over the weekend have linked the outbreak with ready-to-eat meat produced by Maple Leaf Foods that was tainted with the Listeria bacterium. Maple Leaf has recalled 220 forms of meat products, as well as everything made at the company's Toronto plant.

The CFIA said sandwiches manufactured by Lucerne Foods under the Safeway and TakeAwayCafe brands, could also contain some of the prepackaged meat products recalled by Maple Leaf Foods.

Maple Leaf said Monday that it is bracing for a decline in sales on top of the C$20-million (US$19-million) product recall.

In newspaper and television ads released this weekend, Maple Leaf CEO Michael McCain offered an apology on behalf of his company.

"We have an unwavering commitment to keeping your food safe with standards well beyond regulatory requirements, but this week our best efforts failed and we are deeply sorry," McCain said in the ad, which was also posted on the YouTube web site.

Maple Leaf is a multibillion-dollar food giant, whose Dempster's bread, Maple Leaf bacon and ham, Shopsy's and Burns hot dogs, Nutriwhip toppings and Tenderflake lard are well-known Canadian brands, which helped the company generate revenues of more than C$5.2 billion (US$4.95 billion) last year.

Officials with the Public Health Agency of Canada said Monday that Canadians need to remain on guard for at least a few more weeks, given listeriosis' lengthy incubation of up to 70 days.